Two-cell container



United States The present invention relates to two-cell containers, and more particularly to containers having individually covered cells which may be individually opened.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a two-cell container in which a single means is utilized for holding either cell closed individually and both cells closed simultaneously.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container of the class described above in which means are provided for locking the cover holding members in dual cover locking position.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a two-cell container of the class described, a hinge structure maintained in hinging position by the cover locking means.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached dnawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the invention;

Figure 3 -is a bottom plan view of the invention;

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical cross-section taken along the line 4 4 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows, with the cover locking member and one of the covers shown in open position in dotted lines;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal cross-section of the invention taken along the line 5 5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical cross-section taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical cross-section taken along the line 7-7 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several iigures, the reference numeral 10 indicates generally the two-cell container of the instant invention which includes a body 11 which is formed of a generally rectangular configuration and is provided with feet 12 at each corner thereof. The body 11 is provided with a pair of cylindrical compartments 13 and 14 extending inwardly from the top 15 of the body 11, and with the compartments 13 and 14 having axes extending parallal to each other.

The top wall 15 of the body 11 is provided with a pair of semi-cylindrical grooves 16 and 17 extending perpendicularly across the body 11 and parallel to each other. The grooves 16 and 17 are separated by a ridge 1S lying in the same plane as the top wall 15 of the body 11.

Each end of the ridge 18 has extending upwardly therefrom a pair of pins 19 and 20. The groove 16 is provided with a recess 21 extending along the side edge thereof opposite the ridge 18 and terminating just short of the ends of the groove 16. The groove 17 -is likewise provided with a recess 22 extending along the side edge atent 0 2,797,014 Patented June 25, 1957 thereof opposite the ridge 18 and also terminating short of the opposite ends of the groove 17.

A genenally rectangular cover 23 is positioned over the compartment 13 and is provided with an angularly extending ofr'set flange 24 carrying a slot 25 extending thereacross. Flange 24 is adapted to project downwardly into the groove 16 with the cover 23 engaging the top wall 15 surrounding the compartment 13. A generally rectangular cover 26 is provided to cover the compartment 14 and likewise carries an angularly extending offset flange 27 having la slot 28 extending thereacross. The angular offset flange 27 extends downwardly into the groove 17 when the cover 26 is in engagement with the top wall 15 surrounding the compartment 14.

A rectangular hinge plate 29 is formed arcuately and has one end seated in the recess 21 and the opposite end seated in the recess 22, with the central portion thereof rested on the ridge 18. The hinge plate 29 `extends through the slot 25 of the cover 23, and the slot 28 of the cover 26, so as to hold the covers 23 and 26 in pivotal relation to the body 11.

A Vbore 30 extends into the body 11 from one side thereof with its axis parallel to the axes of the grooves 16 and 17. A ball 31 is mounted in the outer end of the bore 30 and a coil spring 32 is positioned between the inner end 33 of the bore 3l) and the ball 31 whereby the ball 31 is spring biased toward the open end of the bore 30 opposite the inner end 33.

A generally rectangular cover retainer 34 is provided with a pair of right angularly extending side members 35 and 36 which are adapted to extend over the sides of the body 11 with the retainer 34 positioned to `overlie the covers 23 and 26. Ears 37 project from the edge 38 of the side wall 35 and are bent inwardly at right angles to the side wall 35 so as to underlie the body 11. Ears 39 lare similarly formed on the edge 40 of the side Wall 36 and are bent inwardly at right angles thereto so as to underlie the body 11, the ears 37 and 39 serving to maintain the cover retainer 34 in position on the body 11 and being adapted to cooperate with the feet 12 to prevent the retainer 34 from moving longitudinally o of the body 11. The side wall 36 is provided with a recess 41 extending outwardly therein substantially centrally of said side wall 36. The recess `41 is adapted to cooperate with the ball 31 to maintain said cover retainer 34 in central position, locking both the covers 23 and 26 closed.

The present invention is intended to be used for carrying extremely valuable, easily lost articles such as contact lens or the like, and provides yan extremely safe case for such articles which will prevent any injury from occurring to the lens, yet make them quite accessible when it is desired to remove them from the container 10.

In the use and operation of the container, the cover retainer 34 is slid to cover the compartment 14, as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 4, so that the cover 23 of the compartment 13 can be swung to its dotted line position, as illustrated in Figure 4. This provides access to the compartment 13 to permit placement or removal of articles therein. The retainer 34 is then slid to the opposite end of the kbody 11 covering the compartment 13 so that the cover 26 of the compartment 14 can be opened to permit placement or removal of the articles therein. Whereupon the cover retainer 34 is slid to the central position with the recess 41 in engagement with the ball 31, which will hold the cover retainer 34 in the position illustrated in Figures l through 6 wherein both the cover 23 and the cover 26 are locked against opening.

3 Y i to without departing from lthe scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A container having a`generally [rectangular body portion, apair of compartments' formedin'theb'dy-portion and open at one end, a=patition wall'eir'te'riding transversely of the body portion Vseparating the'fonipartments, a pair' of semilcylindrical grooves iin'fth topof said partition and extending lengthwiseo'f the-partition, a

rectangular plate positioned on said partition-and havingits edges extending intothe said Semi-cylindrical grooves, the grooves having longitudinal'recesses -to receive the edges-of theplate and hold" the pl'atefinlpsition, -af'cover plate foreach of'said compartments; Ethe?cover-*plates adjacent their innered'ges lhaving-slots thro'gh vvhichthe edges" loi-the said rectangular pliate? xte'nd '-to` provide hinges vfor4 thesaid coverpla'tes 'and a retainingmember mounted on said body portion,'and slidable to selectively permitvthe fcover'- plates to vswing -abbutthef hinge connection between vthe fcover plate and -thesaid rectangular plate. Y

Y- 2. YThe-invention claimed in fclaim 1in which means are provided for holding said retaining member centrally uof said body portion so that the saidcoverlplates cannot be opened.

3. The invention as claimed in claim 2 in which the means for holding the retaining member centrally of the body portion comprises a spring, pressed ball in the body portion engageable with la socket in the retaining member.

4. The invention as claimedv in claim 1 wherein the body portion is provided with legs and the retaining member is provided with earsl engageable Withthe legs to prevent displacement of thev retaining member from the body portion. n Y

References Cited in the'iile of this patent UNITED STATES' PATENTS Beardsley Nov. 12, 

